I own a Transit Connect, so I love the Euro-van form factor for its cargo area to foot print ratio. I think this would be about ideal in terms of around town utility and depending on details, I might order one (to replace my other car and have two vans).

Does the rear row easily come out? If you can quickly unhook/unbolt it, I actually prefer this to folding flat into the floor. There is no free lunch and even seats that fold flat into the floor are taking up some space. I’d rather not lug around a third row on long trips where I’m only using the first two rows .

*Shrug* I think they’re kind of cool. They wouldn’t be to my taste, but I enjoy seeing them. I spend an above average amounts of nights a year off grid car camping out of a Transit Connect, but if I had unlimited money, I’d totally have a larger, fancier rig and likely do even more nights given the increased ease of…

I love wagons, but none that I know of have the cargo capacity of my current van. I don’t love tossing them up on the 6 foot roof, especially when I use the j hooks, but I’m pretty tall and the boats aren’t that large so it isn’t a big issue. My wife used to go by herself and just put the 10 foot boat inside the van.…

I was really excited when the Jeep 4xe’s came out, though I was waiting to see if they came out with a Gladiator version for the cargo space (I have a kid, so the second row has to stay up). I had a TJ Wrangler when I was younger and had a blast in it exploring the logging/mining roads where I grew up, so I’m…

Has anyone suggested a Tahoe? The new independent rear suspension seems to have really increased the gear space in the back. I think a van is the ultimate gear hauling form factor, but if you need more rough road or towing ability, the Tahoe would be next for me.

I have a Transit Connect. In terms of being able to haul the most gear in the lowest footprint, I don’t think it can be beat. We’ve been all over the country in it with it loaded up with gear for weeks of remote camping, mountain bikes, kayaks, and for the most part, it handled it like a champ (I had one hot mushy…

That’s my issue right now as well. I’m in the market for a similar vehicle and also not a small person (though not that big). We do long, off grid camping trips where I lug a lot of gear. I mountain bike. We flatwater paddle (kayaks or SUPs).

I’m trying to decide too. I’m going to take a look and see if I can pinpoint the oil leak problem. If I can, I’ll either fix it, or have it fixed (assuming it isn’t anything too major), and then likely have the radiator done. That would be enough to keep driving it for another good bit, as I’ve become pretty savvy…

I have been driving my hold me over car for a year+ now. It was just the car I had. But it is nearing 200k, could use a new transmission, is going from dripping oil (normal for an old BMW) to being an environmental hazard, and apparently now the radiator is leaking too (though that’s easier to deal with in some ways).…

I too have been holding out for a hybrid AWD Maverick. My current car is closer to shitting the bed than I’d hoped though, so I might have to either see if I can find a standard AWD or look at other options (new hybrid orders are now closed for the 2022 model year it seems). I was also interested in a PHEV/hybrid…

I think reviving the Model T name plate would be kind of cool. What do you think it would look like?

Raptors aren’t really the best vehicle for technical off roading anyway. They’re good at driving fast over rough stuff. I live on the edge of the desert and they’re basically a super car for all the washboard, dipping, rutted BLM roads we have around here.

Honestly I totally prefer automakers going wild, gauche, tacky, overdone, crass, or cheesy to boring.

Even ignoring the current used car situation, I think that you’re missing a few factors, particularly when long term ownership is the goal.

I have a minivan, I love it, but as for why this exists:

No company is going to pay to upgrade employee homes with Level 2 charging? I disagree. The minute that a company calculates that putting in a Level 2 charger at an employee’s home is cheaper than maintaining a large centralized charging facility or that they gain working time by employees going directly to their…

My son weighs 39 lbs, I don’t think he’s much of a contributor to the epidemic. But it sure is nice being able to slide the passenger seat back to a comfortable position while he is in the car seat behind it.

I scrolled down a long way looking for this. There is a reason that Panther platform Town Cars formed the backbone of livery/taxi services for many years and Crown Vics were the standard police car (though I think the former is more telling than the latter). Different versions had different quirks, but if I was…

Exactly. I spend a lot of time camping in more remote, off grid spots than probably 98% of people will ever choose to and I do it in a Transit Connect. If camping/getting to other outdoor activities is the goal, something like the Timberline package would be totally fine and there wouldn’t be too many places it…